The role of decongestants, cromolyn, guafenesin, saline washes, capsaicin, leukotriene antagonists, and other treatments on rhinitis.

Treatment of rhinitis should be selected based on careful diagnosis.1 Clinical symptoms of allergic and nonallergic rhinitis are similar despite the significant difference
in underlying mechanisms.2,3 Most of the treatments reviewed in this article are available over the counter (OTC) Read more

Allergic Asthma: Symptoms and Treatment

Kushnir NM, Kaliner MA

WAO online resources

Asthma is truly a syndrome encompassing several disease entities/endotypes. The word asthma derives from the Greek word for panting, or breathlessness, and thus describes the primary symptom of this disease. Asthma is recognized as a complex condition with differences in severity, natural history..

Mast cells (MCs) have a central role in the induction of allergic inflammation, such as seen in asthma, and contribute to the severity of certain autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. The mast cell thus represents an important inflammatory cell, and one which has resisted therapeutic attempts to alter its role in disease.Read more

Clinical correlates of blood serotonin levels in patients with mastocytosis.

Mastocytosis is a clonal disorder associated with an increased mast cell burden. We have recently demonstrated the ability of human mast cells to express and be activated through multiple serotonin receptors; to synthesize and release serotonin; and that mastocytosis patients may have abnormal serotonin levels. As serotonin has been implicated in the genesis of clinical symptoms found in association with some chronic diseases, we have now determined the whole blood serotonin levels in 29 patients diagnosed with mastocytosis, and correlated these levels with multiple clinical and laboratory parameters.Read more

Ionizing gamma radiation has several therapeutic indications including bone marrow transplantation and tumor ablation. Among immune cells, susceptibility of lymphocytes to gamma radiation is well known. However, there is little information on the effects of gamma radiation on mast cells, which are important in both innate and acquired immunity.Read more

Demonstration of an aberrant mast-cell population with clonal markers in a subset of patients with “idiopathic” anaphylaxis.

Idiopathic anaphylaxis remains a perplexing disorder in which existing prophylactic therapy is inadequate. In this prospective study, we sought to determine whether patients with idiopathic anaphylaxis might have evidence for a clonal disorder of mast cells related to mastocytosis and for which novel targeted therapies might be considered. Read more

Human mast cells are capable of serotonin synthesis and release.

Kushnir-Sukhov NM, Brown JM, Wu Y, Kirshenbaum A, Metcalfe DD.

J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007 Feb;119(2):498-9. Epub 2006 Oct 13.

Increased levels of mast cell–associated mediators, such as tryptase and histamine, have been reported in patients with mastocytosis. Recently, we observed abnormal levels of peripheral blood serotonin in a subset of patients with mastocytosis.Read more

5-hydroxytryptamine induces mast cell adhesion and migration.

The neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)) is implicated in enhancing inflammatory reactions of skin, lung, and gastrointestinal tract. To determine whether 5-HT acts, in part, through mast cells (MC), we first established that mouse bone marrow-derived MC … Read more

Inhalation of crystalline silica results in pulmonary fibrosis and silicosis. It has been suggested that mast cells play a role in these conditions. How mast cells would influence pathology is unknown. We thus explored mast cell interactions with silica.Read more

Elevated tryptase levels are associated with greater bone density in a cohort of patients with mastocytosis.

Mastocytosis is associated with a pathological increase in tissue mast cells. Associated skeletal problems include a decrease in bone density and pathological fractures. In order to explore the relationship between bone density and the severity of mastocytosis, 21 patients with mastocytosis who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were entered into this study.Read more

Increase in extracellular glutatione peroxidase in plasma and lungs of mice exposed to hyperoxia.

Kim KK, Whitin JC, Sukhova NM, Cohen HJ.

Pediatr Res. 1999 Dec;46(6):715-21.

Extracellular glutathione peroxidase (E-GPx) is a selenium-dependent enzyme that can reduce hydrogen peroxide and phospholipid hydroperoxides. E-GPx is found in plasma and extracellular fluids such as bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Because lung is one of the tissues that is capable of synthesizing and secreting E-GPx, the effect of exposure to hyperoxia on E-GPx in plasma and lung were studied in an injury model of hyperoxia exposure in adult mice. Read more

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DR. NATALIYA M. KUSHNIR, MD / FAAAAI
Dr Nataliya Kushnir received her medical degree with Honors from the European Medical School (Russia) in 1994. She continued her studies and medical research at Stanford. Later she confirmed her degree of the Medical Doctor in the US and completed Residency training by 2002. More>>>

FRISEL LOU, B.A. / MSTCM / L.AC
Acupuncture, energy balancing and herbal treatments are an essential part of our integrative treatment. Meet our wonderful Frisel Lou who is adored by our patients and staff. Even her smile has healing powers! A native of the Philippines, she always had passion for mind and body healing. More>>>